Believe it or not, the MLB trade deadline is less than two weeks away. At 6 p.m. ET on Aug. 3, teams will cease to discuss potential franchise-altering deals and enter the home stretch of the season with the cards they are dealt.
But before that happens, all eyes are turning to baseball’s expected sellers and the pieces they may part with. Among the expected sellers, the New York Mets (34-42) will most likely be parting with some of last winter’s more intriguing acquisitions.
The Mets entered 2026 with an interesting squad featuring Bo Bichette, Freddy Peralta, Devin Williams and Luis Robert Jr. as promising newcomers in support of a lineup led by Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor. But it didn’t take long for the excitement to wear off as the team quickly spiraled into crisis. The loss column grew out of control and both Lindor and Robert found themselves on extensive IL trips from which they are yet to return.
As for their obvious trade chips, both Peralta and Bichette stand out. Peralta was traded from the Milwaukee Brewers in the last year of his contract and Bichette was signed to a three-year deal over the offseason. Bichette’s contract comes with an opt-out for next year and a player option for 2028, making his future in Queens uncertain even if they keep him at the deadline.
But while Peralta’s trade value is plummeting with every start he makes, Bichette’s is trending upwards, potentially allowing the Mets to recoup some of their losses. Even though he was met with a strange lack of interest this past offseason, Bichette could be a hot commodity at the trade deadline.
Bo Bichette is raising his trade value in time for the deadline
Hitting .251/.295/.371 with eight home runs on the season, Bichette hasn’t quite set the same expectations he did last year, when he slashed .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs in his walk year with the Toronto Blue Jays. And who could forget his World Series performance that year, when he went 8-for-23 with four walks and a three-run blast off of Shohei Ohtani.
Bichette’s .251 batting average this season appears paltry in comparison to his recent, lofty stats. However, it was only earlier this month when he was hitting for a lackluster .213 average.
In his past 15 games, Bichette is hitting .397 with three home runs in what has been a significant turnaround for the struggling star. And while he isn’t known for his defense at shortstop (-1 outs above average this season), his defense at third base has been promising (2 OOA this year).
Given his sudden resurgence and newfound defensive flexibility, Bichette could easily be one of the trade deadline’s more sought-after players. For any team in need of a high-end infield bat (such as the Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners or New York Yankees, just to name a few), Bichette could be the perfect trade target.